Menu
Latest
Menu
Latest
Commentary

Nalbandian in Tehran for talks with Iranian officials. Yerevan hopes to exploit tensions in relations between Iran and Azerbaijan.

30 April 2012

Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian was in Tehran yesterday for meetings with senior Iranian Officials. The Iraniain State News Agency IRNA reported that Nalbandian had meetings with the Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi, with the National Security Advisor Saeed Jalili and with the Speaker of the Iranian Parliament, Ali Larijani who all expressed expressed support for the development of relations between Iran and Armenia.

 

IRNA reports that the Speaker of the Iranian Parliament told the visiting Armenian Minister that “The policy of the Islamic Republic of Iran is improving relations with the regional countries and settling the disputes within the framework of negotiation and mutual understanding.” Referring to joint economic projects as a step forward in consolidation of economic ties between the two countries, Larijani noted that strengthening the communication between the private sectors of both countries can help the atmosphere of economic cooperation between two countries to become beneficial to both countries.

Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian for his part said that the prospect of relations of Iran and Armenia is very bright. “Armenia pays heed to establishment of friendly ties with the Islamic Republic of Iran in all areas,” the Armenian foreign minister added. Nalbandian underscored the role of trade and economic cooperation between Iran and Armenia for enhancement of bilateral ties, according to IRNA 

Commonspace.eu political editor said in a comment that "Yerevan may consider that this is a good time to try to exploit difference that have arisen between Baku and Tehran. Iran has over the years maintained good relations with Yerevan and tried to stir a neutral role in the context of the Karabakh conflict, much to Azerbaijan's irritation. Armenia's room for manoeuvre on this issue is however limited since it cannot afford to rise the suspicions of the United States and the EU who are at the moment involved in a stand-off with Tehran over the issue of the Iranian nuclear programme. Iran is scheduled to hold talks with the International Atomic Energy Agency on 13-14 May, and has recently been sending conciliatory signs to the international community."

source: commonspace.eu with IRNA.

photo: Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian meeting the Secretary of the Iranian National Security Council Saeed Jalili in Tehran on 29 April 2012

Related articles

Editor's choice
News
Lula wins fourth term in Brazil, Vucic loses in Serbia
Trending

Lula wins fourth term in Brazil, Vucic loses in Serbia

26 October 2026
In elections on both sides of the Atlantic, that are likely to have deep implications for their respective regions, one incumbent won, another lost. In Brazil, Latin America's biggest country, left-wing President Lula won a fourth term in office, defeating his right-wing challenger Flávio Bolsonaro. The 80-year-old, took just under 52% of the vote in a run-off on Sunday. Lula thanked cheering supporters in São Paulo and said he had defended Brazil's democracy. His opponent, Flavio Bolsonaro - who won the first round - says the result is "inexplicable" and called for it to be annulled. His father, ex-president Jair Bolsonaro, is currently serving a jail sentence under house arrest for plotting a coup after losing the last election. This election was bitterly fought - and it bucks a wider regional trend towards right-wing leaders. On the other side of the Atlantic, in Serbia, long-standing leader Aleksandar Vučić has admitted defeat to the student-led protest movement in snap parliamentary elections. "We still do not have final results... it is clear that we have lost these elections," the right-wing populist leader said as he conceded late on Sunday. Preliminary figures from Serbia's election commission indicated a record high turnout, which commentators had suggested would favour the student movement. Celebrations erupted after Vučić conceded. Vučić called the snap elections after two years of protests triggered by the collapse of a train station canopy in the city of Novi Sad, which killed 16 and was seen as emblematic of corruption and negligence. Both election results are going to have a deep impact on their respective regions.
Editor's choice
News
UN Security Council will discuss "Children and Armed Conflict" on Monday
Trending

UN Security Council will discuss "Children and Armed Conflict" on Monday

25 October 2026
On Monday (26 October), the United Nations Security Council will hold an open briefing to mark the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the children and armed conflict mandate by the General Assembly. Greek Minister of Foreign Affairs Giorgos Gerapetritis is expected to chair the meeting, which is a signature event of Greece’s October Council presidency. The anticipated briefers are Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict Vanessa Frazier; UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell; the Special Envoy for Children Affected by Armed Conflict of the African Union (AU), Jainaba Jagne; and the Director of Watchlist on Children and Armed Conflict, Bethany Ellis. Greece served as the chair of the Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict in 2025, but has yet to be reappointed this year due to the ongoing delays in the allocation of subsidiary body chairs. It has nonetheless continued to prioritise the agenda, including by promoting a resolution addressing the impact of digital technologies on the perpetration of violations and abuses against children, which was adopted unanimously on 19 October as resolution 2832 and was co-sponsored by 93 member states. (For more information, see our 18 October What’s in Blue story.) In addition to organising tomorrow’s signature event, Greece invited civil society briefers focusing on the protection of children to two Council meetings—on Yemen and Syria, on 9 and 12 October, respectively—and chaired a meeting of the Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict on 13 October. Greece has circulated a concept note ahead of tomorrow’s meeting, which says that the briefing aims to assess the progress achieved in the 30 years since the children and armed conflict agenda was established as well as the challenges it faces. (click image to read more)

Popular

Editor's choice
Interview
Thursday Interview: Murad Muradov
Trending

Thursday Interview: Murad Muradov

15 January 2026
Today, commonspace.eu starts a new regular weekly series. THURSDAY INTERVIEW, conducted by Lauri Nikulainen, will host  persons who are thinkers, opinion shapers, and implementors in their countries and spheres. We start the series with an interview with Murad Muradov, a leading person in Azerbaijan's think tank community. He is also the first co-chair of the Action Committee for a new Armenian-Azerbaijani Dialogue. Last September he made history by being the first Azerbaijani civil society activist to visit Armenia after the 44 day war, and the start of the peace process. Speaking about this visit Murad Muradov said: "My experience was largely positive. My negative expectations luckily didn’t play out. The discussions were respectful, the panel format bringing together experts from Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Turkey was particularly valuable during the NATO Rose-Roth Seminar in Yerevan, and media coverage, while varied in tone, remained largely constructive. Some media outlets though attempted to represent me as more of a government mouthpiece than an independent expert, which was totally misleading.  Overall, I see these initiatives as important steps in rebuilding trust and normalising professional engagement. The fact that soon a larger Azerbaijani civil society visits to Armenia followed, reinforces the sense that this process is moving in the right direction." (click the image to read the interview in full)
Murad Muradov
Lauri Nikulainen interviews Murad Muradov